Caste System: The sociology of Indian Society

by: Kashish Bohra

Indian society is divided into various sects and classes. This is because of the caste system which is prevalent in the country. The roots of the caste system go back to the ancient Vedas dividing people on the basis of occupation. It has brought many evils in society. The Government is constantly striving to overcome the harms of the system and bring about true equality among the people.

Caste System in India

Caste System in India
Caste System in India

The caste system is the bane for Indian society. It divides the Indian society into sectarian groups and classes. Even today, it plays a predominant role in our society despite the growth of culture and civilization.

  • The terms ‘Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes’ (SC/ST) are the official terms used in government documents to identify former untouchables and tribes. However, in 2008 the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, noticing that the word ‘Dalit’ was used interchangeably with the official term ‘Scheduled Castes’, asked the State Governments to end the use of the word ‘Dalit’ in official documents by calling the term ‘unconstitutional’ and to replace it with the term ‘Scheduled Caste’ instead.
  • The roots of the caste system are traced back to the ancient ages. While one view discriminates between the castes as upper and lower castes on the basis of their origin, another view traces the origin of the castes to which classifies the caste system on the basis of their functions. Since then, it was found that undue advantage was taken by the section of people having an upper hand and a say in the community, leading to discrimination and exploitation of the weaker sections of the community.
  • The people from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, referred to as ‘untouchables’ form one-sixth of India’s population or 160 million; they endure discrimination and segregation.

 

Evil faces of this system

Untouchability

Many villages are separated by caste and they may not cross the line dividing them from the higher castes. They also may not use the same wells or drink in the same tea stalls as higher castes.

Discrimination

They often do not have the facility to electricity, sanitation facilities, or water pumps in lower caste neighborhoods. Access to better education, housing and medical facilities than that of the higher castes is denied.

Division of labour

They are restricted to certain occupations like sanitation work, plantation work, leather works, cleaning streets, etc.

Slavery

They are subjected to exploitation in the name of debt, tradition, etc., to work as labourers or perform menial tasks for generations together.

Government Initiatives

The Indian Government has enacted laws to remove untouchability and has also brought in many reforms to improve the quality of life for the weaker sections of society. Few among them are:

  • Constitutionally guaranteed fundamental human rights
  • Abolition of ‘ untouchability’ in 1950
  • Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989
  • Provision of reservation in places like educational institutions, employment opportunities, etc.
  • Establishing social welfare departments and national commissions for the welfare of scheduled castes and tribes

These measures adopted by the government have brought some relief to the weaker sections of society. The urban areas have shown a good amount of impact and some improvement. However, people in rural areas and villages still face extreme discrimination. We indeed have a long way to go in achieving the objectives set to eradicate and abolish discrimination, on the basis of caste and creed. It now depends on our efforts and a change in our mindset is sure to see a perpetual change, bringing about equality for all.

Right to Equality

The fundamental fights are guaranteed to protect the basic human rights of all citizens of India and are put into effect by the courts, subject to some limitations. One of such fundamental rights is the Right to Equality. Right to Equality refers to equality in the eyes of law, discarding any unfairness on grounds of caste, race, religion, place of birth sex. It also includes equality of prospects in matters of employment, the abolition of untouchability, and abolition of titles. Articles 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 of the Constitution of India highlight the Right to Equality in detail. This fundamental right is the major foundation of all other rights and privileges granted to Indian citizens. It is one of the chief guarantees of the Constitution of India. Thus, it is imperative that every citizen of India has easy access to the courts to exercise his/her Right to Equality.

 

Various articles under the Right to Equality are explained as follows:

Equality Before Law

Equality before the law is well defined under Article 14 of the Constitution which ensures that every citizen shall be likewise protected by the laws of the country. It means that the State will not distinguish any of the Indian citizens on the basis of their gender, caste, creed, religion or even the place of birth. The state cannot refuse equality before the law and equal defense of the law to any person within the territory of India. In other words, this means that no person or group of people can demand any special privileges. This right not only applies to the citizens of India but also to all the people within the territory of India.

Social Equality and Equal Access to Public Areas

The right of Social Equality and Equal Access to Public Areas is clearly mentioned under Article 15 of the Constitution of India stating that no person shall be shown favoritism on the basis of color, caste, creed language, etc. Every person shall have equal admittance to public places like public wells, bathing Ghats, museums, temples etc. However, the State has the right to make any special arrangement for women and children or for the development of any socially or educationally backward class or scheduled castes or scheduled tribes. This article applies only to citizens of India.

Equality in Matters of Public Employment

Article 16 of the Constitution of India clearly mentions that the State shall treat everyone equally in matters of employment. No citizen shall be discriminated on the basis of race, caste, religion, creed, descent or place of birth in respect of any employment or office under the State. Every citizen of India can apply for government jobs. However, there are some exceptions to this right. The Parliament may pass a law mentioning that specific jobs can only be filled by candidates who are residing in a particular area. This requirement is mainly for those posts that necessitate the knowledge of the locality and language of the area.

Apart from this, the State may also set aside some posts for members of backward classes, scheduled castes or scheduled tribes which are not properly represented in the services under the State to uplift the weaker sections of the society. Also, a law may be passed which may entail that the holder of an office of any religious institution shall also be a person professing that specific religion. Though, this right shall not be granted to the overseas citizens of India as directed by the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2003.

Abolition of Untouchability

Article 17 of the Constitution of India abolishes the practice of untouchability in India. The practice of untouchability is declared as a crime and anyone doing so is punishable by law. The Untouchability Offences Act of 1955 (and now Protection of Civil Rights Act in 1976) states punishments for not allowing a person to enter a place of worship or from taking water from a well or tank.

Abolition of Titles

Article 18 of the Constitution of India prohibits the State from granting any titles. Citizens of India are not allowed to accept titles from a foreign State. Titles like Rai Bahadurs and Khan Bahadurs are given by the British government have also been abolished. Nevertheless, academic and military distinctions can be conferred upon the citizens of India. The awards of ‘Bharat Ratna’ and ‘Padma Vibhushan’ cannot be used by the beneficiary as a title and is not prohibited by the Constitution of India. From 15 December 1995, the Supreme Court has sustained the validity of such awards.

To conclude, the ‘Right to Equality’ should not only remain on papers. This right should be properly exercised; otherwise, it will lose its essence if all the citizens of India, especially the weaker and backward classes do not have equal rights and equality before the law.

Disrespect, not Dress, does it – The increasing rape cases are a serious concern for mankind

By- Ekta Sain

Looking at the current state it looks like after some time we will be living in a country where we won’t be giving birth to a human, we will give birth to a human who is worse than an animal. This nation is becoming unsafe not for only girls but also for boys. Not only streets, roads or workplace but our homes are becoming dangerous for us.

Every year there are many cases of molestation and rape came across. Some are registered, some not. Why are these happening in our country? Why are these molesters or rapists moving freely?

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According to the Indian Constitution, the definition of Rape is “when a man forcibly does any sexual activity with women then it is considered as rape.” They never recognized that a man can also be raped.

According to a study conducted by NDTL on an average of 8 women get molested every day in India. But the research of the Centre for Civil Society says that the victims of assault are 57.3% males and 42.7% females. In such cases, family members of female victims avoid disclosure and maintain the confidentiality of the victim and sometimes they complain about the crime. But when it comes to males being a victim for sexual molestation, they don’t get reported for it. It is a myth in our society that boys cannot cry in front of everyone they have to be mentally strong. This myth stops boys from confessing their molestation.

Men believe this myth and feel lots of guilt and shame because they got physically aroused during the abuse. It is important to understand that males can respond to sexual stimulation with an erection or even an orgasm – even in sexual situations that are traumatic or painful. That’s just how male bodies and brains work. Those who sexually use and abuse boys know this. They often attempt to maintain secrecy and to keep the abuse going, by telling the child that his sexual response shows he was a willing participant and complicit in the abuse. “You wanted it. You liked it,” they say.

But that doesn’t make it true. Boys are not seeking to be sexually abused or exploited. They can, however, be manipulated into experiences they do not like, or even understand, at the time

There are many situations where a boy, after being gradually manipulated with attention, affection and gifts, feels like he wants such attention and sexual experiences. In an otherwise lonely life (for example, one lacking in parental attention or affection – even for a brief period), the attention and pleasure of sexual contact from someone the boy admires can feel good.

But in reality, it’s still about a boy who was vulnerable to manipulation. It’s still about a boy who was betrayed by someone who selfishly exploited the boy’s needs for attention and affection to use him sexually

There was a study conducted by a research scholar of Babu Banarsi Das University Lucknow in which she described myths related to rape cases. According to her,  “rape myths exist for a number of historical and cultural reasons including gender role expectations, acceptance of violence and misinformation about sexual assault and they are the one reason why victims are shamed into remaining silent.”

According to this research, the reason why rapes are happening is women are dressing provocatively and that turns out as a problem for her. This is believed by 45% of individuals. Many of them blame the girls who drink. According to them if a girl drinks then she deserves to be raped. Another reason for rape is a girl in the relationship and some blamed the girls who stay outside late at night.

Till when we only ask our girls to hide their beauty and innocence can’t we ask boys to control and behave themselves? If these cases were not taken seriously in our country then it is natural that after some time we won’t find a road where girls will walk freely, it will be hard to find a home where they could live freely.

Cultural heritage of gujrat-patolas

By :- Raaisha Upadhyay

We all know the place Hastinapur and a case of Draupadi(the woman epitome of feminism) the wife of  Pandavas and a dice game against Kauravas, which was responsible for Draupadi’s humiliation

The magical dice was rolled by shakuni  and Pandavas lose and Draupadi has been won by Kauravas.

And from here technically Kauravas owned Draupadi ,

they order Dushasana to disrobe Draupadi in public and from here a miracle take place.

No  matter how much Dushasana tries to take a cloth but never ending cloth continue to cover and protect Draupadi.

The cloth that covered Draupadi was a saree.

This miracle happened just because of Lord Krishna.

The Ancient kingdom of  Krishna’s is Dwarka (the home of Krishna is a gateway to heaven and an underwater city)which is located in the state of Gujarat.

Gujarat is also famous  for their Patola sarees.

Patola is double ikat woven silk saree once worn only by those belonging to Royal and aristocratic families, as they are very expensive The sarees takes around 6 months to 1 year in manufacturing. one saree due to long process of dying it strand separately. The starting price of Patola sarees is 1lakh to 7 lakh.

Patola usually woven in Surat, Ahmedabad and Patan but velvet Patola style are majorly made in Surat.

Patan, the house of Patola, is 125 kms away from Ahmedabad. The town is also famous for ‘Rani –ki Vav’, a step-well made by a queen in honour of her husband. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.

About 900 years ago in 1143 A.D., around 700 craftsmen from the Salvi community hailing from modern day Karnataka and Maharashtra were brought by king Kumarpal of the Solanki dynasty (who then ruled Gujarat, parts of Rajasthan and Malwa) to his court, in his kingdom’s capital, Patan. These craftsmen lived in Jalna, situated in southern Maharashtra, and were considered to be the finest craftsmen of Patola.

Patola in modern day India…

Patola is undoubtedly the epitome of fine craftsmanship. Today, only 2-3 families, the Salvis and Sonis, practise this 900 year old craft in Patan. These families aren’t very open about the process of forging Patola. Only the family members, and in some cases only the male family members, are passed down this knowledge. Nobody from outside the community is admitted into craftsmanship.

However, in the past few years, the Sonis have loosened their boundaries and started passing this craft to people outside of their family who are hardworking, dedicated and passionate towards the craft. This change of attitude is because of the fear of Patola becoming extinct.

A weaver giving life to a Patola sari. 

The current state of this art is alarming. Some Patola weavers have predicted that the art will vanish within the next 20 years or so. Lack of investment, fewer weavers, and dis-interest on the part of the younger generation of weaving families are reasons for such a prediction. Also cheap imitations are capturing the market.

Why is Unemployment higher among the Educated?

By Prerna Vaishnav

Unemployed means the situation of actively looking for employment but not being currently employed. The unemployment rate is a measure of the prevalence of unemployment and it is calculated as a percentage by dividing the number of unemployed individuals by all individuals currently in the labor force. One of the reasons for higher unemployment among the educated is that the educated are not willing to join in low-grade informal jobs, but at the same time, sufficient regular salaried jobs are also not available for them.6-types-of-unemployment-and-what-makes-them-different

The unemployment rate among the educated is not only higher compared to the uneducated. it also increases with higher levels of education. This article explores whether the factors responsible for unemployment among the educated differ from the uneducated based on a multinomial profit model. Results indicate that youth, both educated and uneducated, are more likely to be unemployed than older age groups. One of the reasons for higher unemployment among the educated is that the educated are not willing to join in low-grade informal jobs, but at the same time, sufficient regular salaried jobs are also not available for them. Both educated and uneducated individuals with vocational training (formal or informal) are more likely to find jobs. Besides promoting skills through technical and vocational education, creation of jobs through enhancing capital formation is important to reduce both educated and uneducated unemployment. Education has always been visualized as one of the most efficient vehicles for economic emancipation, social mobility and political stability. Being educated means having greater access to certain levels of employment, salary, responsibility, prestige and social capital. Presumably, the higher the educational attainment, the greater will be the chance to access the just- mentioned opportunities. Education, whether formal, non-formal or informal, is the central pillar for a decent work. Unfortunately, past impressions would tell us that education has attended mainly to the formal education sector along general subject areas. There has been much preference for intellectual activities over manual work, white collar over blue collar jobs and academic education over training for work. With the emerging issues of globalization, advancement in technology, mobility of workforce, etc. however, the situation was drastically changed bringing vocational and technical education to the forefront. The high rate of unemployment among the educated is both due to the lack of sufficient jobs and poor schooling as well as the mediocre quality of education on at most colleges. This makes large numbers of graduates unsuitable for employment that is commensurate with their degrees.

A Woman Who Shaped History in her Own Right.

– By Shivam Pathak
There is this fallacy that women are incompetent to change the course of the future because of this fallacy women’s credentials are always being questioned. This mistaken belief doesn’t emerge recently it took its roots long back in history when women were only considered as an object of sexual pleasure and delight, but just as in today’s gelation there were also some women in history who proved this fallacy a misconception. One among the mighty and intelligent women who made history by exemplifying their remarkable achievements was Wu Zetian, a woman who rose from a lowly concubine to become the emperor of China. The only female emperor in Chinese 2000 years of imperial history who ruled China with an iron fist. Here a question may arise in your mind that how a woman elevates her status from a mere concubine to the emperor of China. It all commenced way back 637 AD when Wu entered the imperial court as a 14-year-old concubine serving emperor Taizong.wuzetian3
Emperor had more than 100 concubines, but somehow one way or the other Wu paved her route to the emperor’s heart and quickly gained favours of the emperor. Her ambition to become the emperor of China was very clear from the beginning. An instance to support this narrative was that when Lady Yang ( Wu Zetian’s mother) wept bitterly at the time of parting from her daughter Wu, Wu responded ‘ How do you know that it is not my fortune to meet the son of heaven ( title given to the monarch of China). Lady Yang as reported then understood her desire and therefore stopped crying. Traditional folklore portrays Wu as a power-hungry woman with no care for who she hurt or what she did. But early excavations discovered something different that determined traditional folklore wrong about Wu’s reign and the reflections of her characteristics. In excavations, archaeologists found a skeleton of a woman with fabled Phoenix crown of ancient china. The name of that was Li Chua, she was a minor descendent of Wu Zetian who wore the opulent crown embedded with carnelian from Uzbekistan, garnet from India, amber from Iran and ivory from Sri Lanka. This shows that how luxurious life was in Wu’s reign as the emperor.
Her period marked a major expansion of the Chinese empire, extending it far beyond from its previous territorial limits. After Taizong’s death she assumed some level of power in her hand and became the second wife of his son emperor Gaozong. But after Gaozong’s death in 660, Wu became the administrator of the court, a position equal to the emperor’s until 70s. Wu Zetian was not only a national leader, but she was also an international leader. Historical pieces of evidence suggests that she shared a good relationship with foreign countries and she also had ambassadors from Mongolia, Korea, Greece and Persia. Daming palace made under her reign was the largest in the world. It is assumed to be five times bigger than the Forbidden city. Jaws of the emissaries were dropped at the first sight of the palace which shows the imperial grandeur of Wu’s capital Chang’an ( today is known as Xi an). She encouraged women to be entrepreneurs and to divorce and marry freely. She even appointed a female prime minister.
As Wu Zetian grew older her mind started turning towards her afterlife, she want forgiveness for her sins she had committed throughout her life. She wrote a confession that had been engraved on a golden tablet and have that tablet taken to a holy place to perform a sacred ritual. She then cast down the tablet from Mount Song in order to attain forgiveness for her doings. Wu Zetian died in 705 and was buried at the east of the phoenix gate within the Qianling Mausoleum. The Mausoleum not only housed the remains of Emperor Wu, but is also served as the epitome of the imperial splendour, high rank and social importance of Wu Zetian. Wu may be regarded by the chronicles as the ruthless in her endeavours to grab power, but there is no doubt that she left her legacy that even in yore times a woman could do everything a man could do. In Wu’s reign, women’s status was higher than ever before. Consequently, Wu Zetian was an extraordinary woman, attractive in appearance, exceptionally gifted political astute and an excellent judge of men.

Write My Research Paper

All students have to write plenty of research papers throughout their college life. However, not all of them know how to create this difficult type of academic paper, so they just say, “I want to pay someone to write my research paper for me.”Picture 1

The major complexity of writing a research paper is to use academic language and analyze scientific sources. This is a reason why professional writing services such as Domypapers.com are waiting for “Write my research paper” request from you. No matter what your discipline is, when your research paper needs to be ready, and how long it should be, you can always get it written by experts.

Pay Someone to Write My Research Paper

Most students spend hours studying and still don’t have enough time to deal with all academic tasks. Luckily, there are research writing services such as DoMyPapers.com that know everything about academic writing. By telling them all the details of your assignment, the assigned writer will complete a paper in a timely manner.

Writing research papers is not an easy thing to do, considering all the research and analysis that needs to be done. When you place such an order, the writing service tries to find the specialist that would have knowledge and skills in writing this type of academic content and a particular discipline. As a result, your perfect research paper will contain interesting data from proven sources so that any professor can do nothing but give you the highest grade.

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When you buy a research paper, you surely don’t have much time and money. DoMyPapers.com is exactly what you need. They offer cheap research papers written scholarly. If you pay them, they will create a term paper that contains the right structure with an engaging introduction, informative main body, and meaningful conclusion. Simply, they will address your requirements. Moreover, they tend to create content that is devoid of plagiarism. Thus, they check all the research papers via plagiarism software before sending them to customers. This is not something you should worry about. By placing your first order on DoMyPapers.com, you automatically increase your chances of having the highest grade.

Closing Note

While referring to DoMyPapers.com, you feel ashamed of getting your assignment completed by another person online. Actually, you don’t need to worry about anything. At some point, everyone might need some help, whether it will be from friends, professors, or professional writers. There is nothing bad about asking for some assistance from those people who surely know the answers to all the academic questions. Even if you don’t get the whole paper completed by another person, you can still apply it as an example for your personal writing. Eventually, a high-quality academic paper is all you need to craft a smart paper on our own.

Such paper writing services as DoMyPapers.com proceed with writing routine that addresses the most exquisite needs. Before submitting an order, you can check the reviews on the Internet. It is a reliable source to form your own opinion on particular issues. The only nuance is that you have to pay to order a research paper. After all, an affordable price is a reasonable value of an excellent paper that can make your college life easier and more convenient!

How to Complete an Essay in Just One Night

The duration of healthy sleep is about 8 hours, giving students about 16 hours for other activities. Educational institutions tend to dish out workloads of assignments to their students, which makes them struggle with papers.

With time being a luxury resource, no wonder why students have started looking for help on the Internet. By sending a special request “Complete my essay,” online writing services such as DoMyEssay.net meet these needs. Before ordering a paper online, you might want to know whether this writing service is reliable enough to complete your essay in just one night. Find the answer to this and other similar questions below.

Steps to Be Taken

Even if you have great time management and you try to fulfill your academic assignments on time, you might still be challenged by meeting tight deadlines. If you have no idea how to complete a high-quality academic paper in one night, then you might need some guidelines. The task is quite doable if you can properly arrange your working routine.

  • Get started. Before you start writing your paper, you need to come up with a good topic. You should understand the topic so that you can collect information on how to best approach the paper. Split the topic into sections, each of which would align with the mainstay of your paper. This way, the final version will have a sense of style, flow, and balance. If you need to write a long paper in one night, it makes sense to pick up a topic that you are well-versed in.

  • Conduct your research: When a suitable topic is found, you can proceed with thorough research. If your professor has given you a list of sources or references, then use them. Otherwise, you have to find some relevant sources that would let you get credible and concise information. Make some notes of your ideas, so you can use them as building blocks of your paper.

  • Write an introduction and thesis statement: After finishing your research, you should initiate the actual writing process. Writing an introduction to your work is a responsible process as it serves the purpose of informing readers about your work. Make sure that it is concise and built up around your topic. Create a solid thesis statement that would contain an insight into what you are going.

  • Work on the subtopics of your paper: The best way to create a paper in one night is to create sections that would organize your writing. These sections can determine all your content, so you need to do research on each subtopic. By applying solid examples and case studies, you shouldn’t ignore any significant information. This way, you will be able to structure your paper logically.

  • Work on references. When you are writing your paper, come up with a full list of references that have been applied. Making a list of references after completing your paper is not a great idea because you could do it in an inappropriate manner. When you are tired, you lose concentration. As a result, you cannot produce a crucial piece of work at a high level.

  • Look through your work. When you have your draft completed, you need to check it for possible errors. This includes all possible mistakes related to punctuation, sentence structure, spelling, and grammar. Editing and proofreading your work will let you spot mistakes and fix them. While still doing the review, check your paper formatting to ensure that the right format has been used. Look through the structure of your paper and ensure that you address the principles of writing a quality paper. Professional writers keep insisting on the significance of editing work, as it refines the final paper and boosts its quality. When it is all done, ensure to check out the reviewed work in several places.

Is it possible to create a 10-page paper in one night? Yes, it is. All you need is maximum concentration and proper organization. If you cannot create an academic paper in one night on your own, you can order a paper on one of the online writing services, such as DoMyEssay.net. Thus, the paper will be managed well and there will be no plagiarism.

Closing Note

If you are not 100% sure that you can create a 10-page academic paper overnight, trust your assignment to DoMyEssay.net. This reliable company hires only expert and professional writers, which is a guarantee that you can receive a well-written paper meeting professor’s requirements and your expectations. I ordered a paper from them at a reasonable price, and I was happy with the final result. After all, it is nice to know that experienced writers are writing a top-notch paper for you while you are enjoying your sweet dreams.

Citation Overkill: 5 Steps to Avoid Overusing Quotes

What is quoting? In a nutshell, the term quoting stands for using statements, phrases, or whole passages in the exact wording as in the original source.

Thus, whenever you take information and insert it directly in your text using either single or double quotation marks (depending on the style of referencing you are required to use), it will be considered quoting.

Video-2-in-text-citations-Image1Is it a bad thing? Not really. As was already mentioned, writing an academic paper almost always requires using a variety of external sources. This is why quoting is a common technique used by students to share the exact idea of another writer in their work.

When used wisely, quotes will only contribute to the overall quality of the text – unless you overuse them.

The truth is that students often don’t feel the limits and rely on quotes too much. Yes, the use of a few direct saying will likely have a positive result if inserted logically. Yet, overusing them often has the opposite effect and can bring you a lower grade.

How Does the Abundance of Quotes Influence the Quality of Your Paper?

There are two main issues that may arise if you overuse quotes. First of all, an abundance of famous sayings can draw attention away from the actual content of your work, making a reader lose the main idea.

Secondly, relying too much on the exact wording, you risk being left with a plagiarized paper that doesn’t meet the requirements. In both cases, the result can be unpleasant – you will get a low grade or even fail.

When should you insert a quote? Here are some common instances:

  • When exact wording of an authoritative writer, scientist, or another professional will support your statements;
  • When the chosen phrase is commonly known;
  • When the saying sounds engaging, helps drive more attention to your work, and you feel like you can’t paraphrase it and keep the same powerful effect;
  • When there is a need to share a specific position of another author.

These are just a few tips on how to use this technique wisely. In the following part of our article, you will find a comprehensive guide with five ways to avoid using too many quotes in your papers.

5 Steps to Smart Quoting

Ask for Help

If you lack experience in academic writing and just don’t know how to handle an assignment right, it is never a bad idea to ask for help.

One way to get help is by asking your professor how many citations you can use in the paper.

If you don’t feel like asking your professor, you can opt for the help of a professional writing service. Expert academic writers know everything about how to write a paper to the highest standard, how to cite a poem or a book, and how many citations to include.

Is the Source Worth Citing?

If you decided to cope with the task on your own, the pro tip is always assess the quality of the source you are planning to use.

You should only rely on quotes of authoritative experts like famous writers, scientists, specialists in your field of study, etc.

Each time you are going to use a direct saying, ask yourself – is the source reliable enough to cite it?

This simple trick will help you distinguish sources that really matter from secondary ones. It will let you reduce the number of citations added.

Does It Fit Well?

Another important question is whether a chosen quote fits well in the context of your paper. Will it contribute to reaching the purpose of the work? Does it support your main idea?

It may sound good and draw attention, but if there is no actual value for the work, then you should avoid using it.

Take Notes Wisely

Another helpful trick is to use effective note-taking strategies.

Before you get to writing a paper, you will likely read a whole bunch of sources. You can prevent citation overkill already at this stage by taking notes in your own words.

Here is what you can do:

  • Read a particular source;
  • Write down the key ideas in your own words right after you finish reading;
  • Re-read the information;
  • Take your time to process the obtained data, evaluate it, and reflect the most important ideas in the form of short remarks.

Doing so will help you evaluate the material, understand it better, and reflect on it in the paper without using direct quotes.

Paraphrase

Finally, the last and the most effective way to avoid having too many citations is paraphrasing. Students use this technique quite often to represent valuable information from external sources in their own words. This is a great way to avoid plagiarism.

Here are the key tips for effective paraphrasing:

  • Read the information you find important as many times as you need. The goal here is to understand the full meaning of the original material and the main ideas presented in it;
  • Take notes on the main points, keywords, and terminology that will be helpful for restating these ideas in your paper;
  • Use the knowledge you’ve gained, as well as your notes, to compose paragraphs in your own words. The main tip here is not to look at the original source. Otherwise, you may unconsciously copy some statements;
  • Check your piece against the original one to ensure that they are not alike;
  • Check your passage for accuracy, consistency, relevancy, and value. Make sure it contains all the ideas and concepts you wanted to reflect on in your work;
  • Cite it right. Even if you are not providing a direct quote, you will still have to give a reference to the source of information, and you’d better do it right. For this, use in-text citation with the number of a page.

Following these steps, you will likely create a passage that accurately shares the information and ideas of the original source. However, at the same time, it will show more of your unique style and won’t be considered as plagiarism.

The Bottom Line

Citations in academic writing can either win or break the deal. A good quote, when it matches the content and has practical value, can make your text look better and score a higher grade.

The tips above should help you avoid citation overkill. Use them to increase the quality of the text and make sure it deserves a high assessment.

Remember, the key concept behind using citations in academic writing is to be selective when adding quotes. It is vital to include only those citations that add impact to work, not draw attention away from it.

What The Education System REALLY Exists For – Myth # 7

The Seven Myths of Highly Ineffective Education Systems – Myth # 7 of 7

Or

The Seven Myths That Make Education Difficult To Improve

See Myth # 6 of 7 here.

Myth # 7 – The education system exists to improve education

Systems tend to lead double lives – at a conceptual level they might be brilliant, with wonderfully competent and committed people leading them. Yet at the ground level, what is in operation may be entirely different. Thus despite terrific policy and capability at policy/decision-making levels in the health sector, what common people might be heard saying is: “It is better to pay through your nose at a private clinic, than to die for free at the government hospital.”

For the people, the ‘system’ comprises of those representatives they meet at the district, block, cluster and village level, and occasionally those at the state levels. To understand the situation, try asking a group of educational administrators about the finer aspects of TA-DA rules and how they apply them, and you will find they can animatedly discuss them for about two hours. But raise the issue of why children are not learning (which is actually their real responsibility) and you will get a different response… (It’s true, isn’t it?)

This is what tends to happen to any system  (or even organization) over time – ultimately it’s own nuances, requirements, procedures, structures and powers (or power) become its main concerns, with the reason for its very existence slowly dimming in the memory of its functionaries. Thus:

  • teachers/CRC-BRC must spend more time collecting data even at the cost of teaching or improving learning, or
  • every school must follow the given framework for its School Development Plan (because the need to compile the plans at the block level is more important than the need for it to be appropriate for that school), or
  • every HT must maintain records for the officials ‘above’ even if it means she will not have time to support her teachers in improving the classroom process.

It is as if children, teachers, HTs, SMCs all exist to feed the machinery ‘above’ which has to ‘control’ them, and ‘give’ them resources (from mid-day meals to teachers to textbooks to in-service training, from which often a ‘cut’ may be taken), ‘allow’ them to take decisions such as which would be the most convenient time for most children to attend school, ‘monitor’ the work of teachers, ‘test’ the learning of students, and ‘grant’ the privilege of education.

What the RTE implies is that it is those who get their salaries because of children who are the real ‘beneficiaries’ – which includes all the administrators, supervisors, inspectors, monitors, institutions, departments, ministries.  It is they who are accountable to children and teachers, or would be if they really existed for education.

As mentioned, give them enough time and systems end up existing more to perpetuate themselves – and the status quo within – rather than the purpose for which they are created. Try making a change in the way things are organised within a system and you might find it responds with a kind of ferocious energy it fails to display when similar urgency is required in its primary objective. For instance, if it were declared that an educationist rather than an IAS officer will head the Department of Education, you will get a lot more activity in the system (to prevent that) than if you declared (as is well known) that most children are failing to attain grade level learning across the country.

Finally, systems exist to preserve the hold of the powerful. Issues that affect the middle classes or those more privileged get inordinate attention in the system. Thus nursery school admissions in private schools in Delhi are a big issue, or the allocation for poor children in elite private schools is endlessly discussed, or the class 10 board exam being needed (by children from better off families)… but the death of a 100+ children in a mid-day-meal from a poor section of society, or the low levels of  service in deprived areas or chronically low learning levels despite much money being invested – fail to receive that kind of attention.

For those seeking to make a dent in the system, it would be healthier to have a more ‘aware’ notion of what the education system really exists for. The puny strategies we use to make things better are unlikely to serve as even pinpricks to the system.

Homework Assignment Writing Tips – How to Never Become Stressed

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Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash 

Ever wondered how some people in college manage to go with the flow in studies so naturally? Like they were made just for it. While some students find themselves in a great struggle for success, spending sleepless nights on cramming, looking for an assignment writing service (though it’s not necessarily a wrong thing to do, there are good ones, like CustomWritings.com), the other type always seems to take it easy. Why, you ask? 

Hmm, the answer is not easily found. We presume, this is quite an individual thing. Sometimes it is the innate abilities, sometimes the practiced skills of quick problem-solving, sometimes it’s just the whole attitude to life.

Whatever the ground under academic success is, all of us here want to discover it. Here we’re gonna give you some tips for carrying out home assignment without becoming too stressed. Let’s go!

Tips for Doing Homework – Can Mental Work Bring Satisfaction?

Doing homework is not meant just for mental development. As humans, we are made to enjoy the works of our hands, so learning should bring some pleasure as well. To make the most of your study time, consider the following.

  • Design an awesome study place.

Why, do you think, Apple, Google, and other flourishing companies made big investments into offices, making them the most incredible places on Earth to work in? By doing this, they didn’t just make the interior attractive, but increased productivity! 

Why not take after them? At home, you should give way to your imagination, and make a workplace that will inspire the best ideas and thoughts. If your dwelling is in the hall of residence, try to share this workplace with people instead of isolating yourself. Twisty chairs, smart devices, comfy and colourful walls or desks, – all of it can be your helpers. 

  • Get support.

It is difficult to work in an environment where everything distracts you, nobody respects what you’re doing or doesn’t believe in you. To make studies a fun journey, seek opportunities to grow, surrounding yourself with those who look optimistically into your future. 

Support may also mean external help, such as going to a tutor or using a custom assignment writing service, providing quality assignment writing help. Though it should not become a habit that destroys your development, turning to professional writers is often worth it. Affordable, transparent, plagiarism free quick online essay writing services like CustomWritings.com, are nowadays in great demand and will write your essays the best way possible. So if you know you are more than loaded with work, consider sharing it with a platform like this. 

To be precise, at the service CustomWritings you can buy a dissertation, course paper or essay in various disciplines for fair money. However, affordable prices aren’t the only advantages – by writing ‘help me with my task’, you get a free reference list, 100% cashback guarantee, total authenticity and numerous editing of your papers. 

  • Make use of free minutes.

Under ‘free’ we mean when you’re doing practically nothing, – sitting in a subway, waiting for the professor or a friend, or even cooking dinner. It is not much about multitasking, rather about what your mind is filled with as you do the daily-and-ordinary. For illustration, a 20-minute bus ride during 3 months can make you an A1 French learner. Another variant is doing your freelance job duties while commuting from place to place.

All in all, we sincerely hope that these small tips will raise your motivation, give you a lift in the mood and spark the desire in your heart to become a happy kind of student and reach more in this life!